The 17 Swedish Designers exhibit located in the Swedish American Museum is a beautiful show of contemporary work from young, progressive women designers eager to experiment with different materials. As you walk into the large, open white room, smaller individually arranged rooms draw your attention. Perhaps a chair that makes you wonder if it is really comfortable, or how exactly it is meant to be sat in next to a tall wobbly white lamp that seems as though it might fall over any second. A few of my favorites were the umbrella holder that was made to look like an umbrella itself, and the tilted drink glasses that would make anyone nervous to pour drinks into for fear it would spill. I also liked the interesting candle holders in many of the created rooms. The designs were fabulous, beyond creative and some even humorous. The bold colors and precise set up made for a wonderful exhibit. These young women each brought something different and exciting to the room and their ceramics, furniture, and textiles, mainly in black and white with bright accents were extraordinary! Go see this exhibit!! Family Night is June 25, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and museum hours are Monday-Friday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m..
On Friday and Saturday evening June 18 and 19 Casa Michoacan hosted traditional Michoacan music and dancing at the Beer Gardens on Navy Pier with a special presentation by the group P'indekuecha. Around 50 people gathered at the picnic tables to listen to the music and talk, and many couples took to the dance floor. Many people walking along the pier also stopped to enjoy the music and watch the couples dance. Michoacan, a region in Mexico, is known as the “soul of Mexico” and literally means “place of fishermen,” referring to the many lakes. Michoacan is also known for its majestic mountains with sacred fir trees and the beautiful arrival of the Monarch butterflies in the winter. Casa Michoacan gave out monarch butterfly pins for attendees to wear to show their support of the event and the organization. Check out the Chicago Cultural Alliance calendar to find more Casa Michoacan events!
Kara Gonnerman- Chicago Cultural Alliance Summer 2010 Intern
Hello, my name is Kara Gonnerman and I am an intern at Chicago Cultural Alliance for the summer of 2010. This is my first time being in the Chicago area and I am looking forward to this summer's experiences.
I was born in Albany, Georgia and moved to Saint Louis in 1999. From there I headed to the Northeast to attend the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts. I am a history major and enjoy studying different cultures and time periods. I also play division I field hockey.
I have always worked with children as a camp counselor over the summers at Camp Lakewood in Missouri and Camp Potawatomi in Indiana. I taught canoeing, high ropes courses, archery, and helped out with the horses. I have always loved being outside and working with people. Looking ahead towards my future brought me to Alliance.
I believe the Alliance internship position is a great opportunity for me. The staff and its core members work to preserve history and culture among all the communities in Chicago. They focus on sharing individuals and group experiences with the public to create positive change. This inclusiveness greatly appealed to me and I am very excited to learn everything I can from the organization and about issues affecting different ethnic communities!
On Thursday, April 29th, over 150 people gathered in the beautiful Erin Ballroom at the Irish American Heritage Center for MOSAIC: A Celebration of Chicago's ethnic communities. This was the Alliance's first fundraiser, and the night was an enormous success! Guests began arriving at 6 pm to enjoy drinks, sushi, and conversation in the Fifth Province. Dazzling performances by American Indian flautist Bill Buchholtz, Scottish Highland dancers Melanie and Kristen Williams, and Ethiopian dancer Yaasha Abraham began to establish the evening as a true multi-cultural celebration. Then, the party moved to the ballroom on the fourth floor. While guests sampled a meldey of international cuisines, they bid on amazing packages donated by Core Members in the silent auction (featuring items like handmade mittens and earrings from the Latvian Folk Art Museum, handwoven Indian shawls from the Indo-American Heritage Museum, and a package from the Chinese-American Museum that included a one-year membership, a walking tour of Chinatown, a restaurant gift certificate, a framed photogrpah of the Great Wall, and much more!). They also enjoyed additional perfomances by African drummers Simba Tayari and Valroy Dawkins, Irish tenor Mark Piekarz, and Indian dancer Susan Abraham.
The Alliance was thrilled that John McCarter, President of one of our founding partners, the Field Museum, was there to address the guests and express the importance of the Alliance and our Core Members. One of the amazing things about Core Members is how many dedicated and largely unsung leaders reside in their communities. For that reason, we were thrilled to present our first "Outstanding Community Leader" awards to two amazing champions of their cultures: Frank Glesson from the Irish American Heritage Center, and Angie DeCorah from the American Indian Center.
The cherry on top of this marvelous event was the presence of artist Gerry Lang, who created a bricolage (mosaic) in honor of the event and the Alliance. Gerry invited guests to add their own piece to the mosaic, making it a true cross-cultural, community collaboration.
I recently made my return to Chicago after working "abroad" in NYC. I'm thrilled to be home and interning at the Chicago Cultural Alliance. While in NYC I worked in book and online magazine publishing as a publicist and editor respectively.
I worked on a number of projects ranging from high profile fiction titles like "My Sister's Keeper" and covering press junkets for Hollywood films like "Sex and the City". But, I was always attracted to projects of substance, for instance a book that comes to mind, "Dancing on the Glass Ceiling" which armed women with the necessary tools to survive in the workplace and the film adaptation of the "Kite Runner" which I covered as a reporter where I was the only woman in the room and ended up asking the toughest questions of the author.
All the while, I had been playing with the idea of returning to school but wasn't sure which program I was best suited for. I ran into an old friend and told her I was interested in making the transition into nonprofit and she pointed me in the direction of UIC's Masters in Public Administration program. Jack pot! The MPA program mixes fundraising, grant writing, legal, budgeting and nonprofit management.
The CCA caught my eye when researching local nonprofit organizations that focused on the arts. The Alliance stood out from the crowd because in addition to highlighting the importance of culture they go a step further working on behalf of the individual communities that make up Chicago. As an intern I'll be providing staff support to the CCA, attending off site events including training sessions and acting as a representative at meetings and workshops. I'm really excited to get my hands "dirty" and dive into the "Talking About" program which will happen in May.
As well, I'm planning on studying abroad [for real, not NYC] in London this summer as part of an urban planning course. I plan to take what I learn at the Alliance, team up with a local organization abroad, and investigate the neighborhoods and ethnicities that make up London.
Beyond school and interning, in my free-time I enjoy metalsmithing and jewelry making. Yup, I use a torch!!
My name is Mimosa Shah, and I am the new Community Engagement Coordinator with the Alliance.
I've lived, volunteered and worked in Chicago for much of my adult life, with the exception of a one-year stay in Paris, France, where I had the opportunity to study French and live the "movable feast" that Ernest Hemingway eloquently described in his novels. Much of my professional experience has focused on the empowerment of individuals: through civic engagement, legal advocacy, and the fostering of basic literacy skills.
My educational background is in the humanities. I have a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago. After a lengthy hiatus, I'm now working towards the completion of my master's degree in humanities from the University of Chicago, where my primary interests are in cinema and media studies.
I'm really looking forward to my experiences at the Alliance. I enjoy the challenges of working with numerous constituencies, and I am deeply committed to the Alliance's goals of furthering cross-cultural understanding and awareness. In Chicago, we're fortunate to have such an amazing diversity of cultures thriving alongside one another. It's my hope that the Alliance will be a key player in working to not only preserve but also create culture.
Imagine a box the sized of a small room containing within it twelve smaller boxes that display twelve images producedby a single box, and you have Lensless Slides from the box of Wojtek Gil.Currently on display at the the Polish Museum of America through February 23, 2010, this photographic exhibit is a thoughtful collection as inviting and friendly as the establishment that houses it.
Artist Wojtek Gil's fascination with the camera obscura began as a young boy.He fondly recalls the memory of his first experience with the device.He was ten when he turned his friends bedroom into a giant camera obscura.Shutting out all sources of light save for a pupil sized hole, they couldn't afford photo paper, but they understood what they could do if they had it.From bedrooms to match and oatmeal boxes, Gil saw his creativity realized and has yet to get bored with returning to the fundamentals of photography through the camera obscura.
The camera obscura is an image generative device consisting of a box with a hole in one side that allows external light to pass through and project the outside image.With a mirror and a piece of sheet film Gil was able to capture external images whose sharpness is dependent on the size of the hole and amount of time exposed to light.
Wojtek Gil's twelve slides on display at the Polish Museum of America were all taken within the last four years.The images range between two seconds to one hour of exposure time and are a pure, un-manipulated collection of photographs that offer a time and space conducive to natural lighting, shading and color.Gil captures objects and places as our own two eyes would allow us to see them.Each slide is a snap shot in time, unveiling the beauty of a moment by its recognition.His muse is clearly the camera itself.He dedicates the entire exhibit to the device, projecting its ability to document the carefree of everyday life and inspiring his viewer to not underestimate the intricacies of a railing or street corner.
In addition to his artistic endeavors, Gil is also a journalist for Polskie Radio and a prominent figure in the Chicago Polish community.For a suggested $5 donation at the Polish Museum of America one can experience the sentiments of his journeys.While there we suggest taking the time to soak in the museums array of authentic Polish history and culture.
Hello, my name is Lyndsi Barboza, and I am a sister, a dog lover, a cyclist, a writer, and an aspiring blues harpist. I am a summer floater, a winter walker and as of December 2009, an Alliance intern.
I moved to Chicago from Milwaukee, Wisconsin in Spring 2008 with little idea of my life's path, but a lot of faith in making the most of the opportunities afforded to me. That said, I found my first big break at 826CHI, a nonprofit organization dedicated to Chicago youth. I spent the next year volunteering with 826CHI and teaching Chicago's students the art of Ekphrastic Poetry. Year two has been devoted to exploring Chicago area nonprofits and dedicating my time to those whose causes are close to me. With an interest in grants management, I enrolled in Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies' Nonprofit Management program and expect to graduate with a Master Degree within the next year.
The Alliance internship position appealed to me because of its wide range of core members. The opportunity to assist those organizations whose mission is to preserve history and sustain culture struck me as a rewarding learning experience. Much like the Alliance, I too am in the beginning stages of my career and am eager to do my part in preserving our city and helping the Alliance core members grow. I am excited for the experiences that lay ahead and look forward to blogging for you in the future.
2009 was an amazing year for the Chicago Cultural Alliance—we increased the size of our staff and board, grew our membership, and developed new programs and collaborations that highlight the diversity of our Core Members!
Here are just a few highlights from the year:
·One of our most exciting initiatives was the launch of our Talking About… program series, which brought together multiple voices from Core Member communities to engage in dialogue about significant contemporary issues like immigration and the environment.
·With a generous grant from the Boeing Charitable Trust, we explored the creation of shared staff positions, joint purchasing, and other centralized services to help Core Members remain strong during a difficult economic time.
·We convened our Leadership Council for the first time in the spring and quarterly throughout the year. These meetings allowed the Alliance staff and the directors and presidents of Core Member organizations to discuss programs and opportunities, to share best practices, and to sustain the first-voice perspective that is crucial to the Alliance’s mission.
·In July, more than a dozen Core Members helped our partner, Brookfield Zoo, celebrate their 75th birthday; they provided fun activities and crafts and amazing performers from their communities.
·In October, Columbia College’s Department of Multi-Cultural Affairs selected the Alliance as the beneficiary of their annual fashion show; Core Members got a chance to show off their colorful heritage by loaning items of traditional dress, which were strutted down the runway.
·Also in October, the Alliance was invited by Chicago’s Commission on Human Relations to participate in United Nations Day; Core Member representatives discussed their communities' perspectives of immigration on an Alliance-led panel at the Chicago Cultural Center.
We’re sure that 2010 will be an even better year than the last!
With the percentage of foreign born residents in the U.S. at 12.6%, the highest proportion since the start of the 20th Century (Wasem, 2009), and significant increases in immigrant populations in areas that are not traditional 'gateway' ciities, the concept of immigration and integration is changing rapidly. America's new residents promise to further enrich our country's rich and diverse cultural heritage, deepening our understanding and experiences of who we are collectively as a country.
As we look to Washington for comprehensive immigration reform, the significance of these complex communities cannot be understated. Whatever the reforms that come, they must take into account the diversity of immigrants and their communities to be successful. Immigration is often discussed in monolithic terms, with the only differentiation of immigrants relating to their legal status - naturalized, permanent residents, undocumented, and, occassionally, refugees and asylum seekers. These categories do not truly encompass the changes and stories of these new American residents, nor do they address the great complexity in why people come to the United States or the needs that they have when they arrive.
The word community conveys a sense of unity - in purpose, in experience, and in perspective. While their are unifiying elements of heritage, culture, and traditions within the Alliance's communities, these communities are composed of people who have different perspectives on what it means to be a community member. For example, Chicago's large Polish and Polish American community is composed of people who immigrated to the United States at different points in history. The community who arrived following World War II holds a somewhat different view of what it means to be Polish than the community who arrived following the fall of the Berlin Wall.
This summer, the Chicago Cultural Alliance launched its first programs under its "Talking About..." series. Through our Talking About... Im/migration, the Alliance worked with its members to expand their reach into the broad diversity of immigration and migration experiences in their ethnic communities. By embracing a wider view of what it means to be part of their respective ethnic and cultural communities, Core Members can truly represent their communities, in their wonderful complexity. With the great diversity of its membership and the history of collaboration among represented communities, the Alliance is the perfect location for a discussion of immigration, the changing face of America and the evolution of what it means to 'be American.'
I recently sat down with Carlos Arango of Casa Aztlán at his office. From the moment I began speaking with Carlos, it became evident that he enjoyed the interactions with community members that his position allows. Several times during our meeting, you could hear young children—at Casa Aztlán for one of its many summer activities for kids—calling for ‘Carlos!’ It is a testament to the multiple generations impacted by the Alliance’s Core Members.
Casa Aztlán combines art programming and social services offerings for Mexican Americans in Chicago. Being situated in its current location on S. Racine for over thirty years, Casa Aztlán’s immediate vicinity has certainly had time to undergo great amounts demographic change. The area, however, is still predominantly inhabited by Mexican American immigrants. This community, then, geographically is situated well to take advantage of Casa Aztlán’s social service offerings—including ESOL and citizenship classes and pro bono legal consultations.
In addition to these programs, Casa Aztlán gives the Mexican American population to enjoy and experience the arts. Children in one of the organization’s many after-school and summer programs are exposed to tools of media communication and development. For example, one class of students developed their own radio program while learning technological, writing, and speaking skills.
It’s not just with the day-to-day programming that Casa Aztlán organizes artistic endeavors. Each year around Christmastime, Mexican Americans come together with the help of Casa Aztlán for a night of caroling and festive cheer throughout their neighborhood.
All of these events contribute to a lively and exciting atmosphere, one which Carlos Arango does his best to cultivate. We look forward to many more interesting developments at Casa Aztlán!
A Chat with Estrella Alamar of the Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago
On July 28th I sat down with the Founding President of the Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago (FAHSC), Estrella Alamar, at her lovely home in Hyde Park (which also happens to be the current home of all of the society's treasures!). After touring her house and seeing all of the amazing pictures and artifacts of the Society, we went upstairs to her office to talk about what the FAHSC does, its core mission, and its relationship with the Alliance.
The Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago strives to record, preserve, and provide exhibits of the Filipino American history in Chicago. It hopes to promote public interest in this history through education, which will ultimately lead to an appreciation and understanding of the Filipino heritage. Estrella says that the most rewarding part of her job as president of the society is her contact with the community and the city at large. She originally decided to start the FAHSC because she wanted to find out more about her heritage and develop her own identity as a Filipino American, born and raised in the United States. It began as a study of Filipino art history and blossomed into something much greater.
Estrella believes that it is important for her organization to be a part of the Chicago Cultural Alliance because the Alliance is ultimately able to create partnerships among various ethnic groups throughout Chicago. Through events such as Cultural Connections, the FAHSC is able to collaborate with other ethnic communities in order to teach others about the Filipino culture while simultaneously giving them the opportunity to experience and learn about other cultures in Chicago. The Alliance has also increased the FAHSC's funding opportunities, which Estrella describes as a "big plus" since it has allowed them to expand to areas they wouldn't have been able to beforehand. Being a part of the Alliance has provided the Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago with so many opportunities and has helped further the society's mission of educating others on the Filipino heritage.
A Chat with Ramah Kudaimi of the Arab American Action Network
During our Alliance Family Day at the Brookfield Zoo, I sat down with Ramah Kudaimi of the Arab American Action Network (AAAN) to discuss what her organization does, its core mission, and its relationship with the Alliance.
The AAAN is a non-profit, grassroots, community-based organization working to improve the social, economic, and political conditions of Arab immigrants and Arab-Americans in the Chicago metropolitan area. Ramah explains that the AAAN works to serve the Arab American community in order to strengthen them so that the members will in turn serve others. Its strategies include community organizing, advocacy, education, providing social services, leadership development, cultural outreach, and forging productive relationships with other communities. Ramah includes that the most rewarding part of her job is that she is able to meet a lot of people both from her community and others and to talk about her own culture while learning about the cultures of others. She loves that she is able to meet her community face to face and therefore get know everyone on a very personal basis.
Ramah believes that belonging to the Chicago Cultural Alliance is important for the AAAN because it helps present a true face of the many diverse communities throughout Chicago. There are many misconceptions about the Arab-American community and the Alliance ultimately helps to overcome these stereotypes and prejudices. The Alliance also has helped the AAAN to build relationships with other communities, which makes it easier to plan cross-cultural events and to bounce ideas off of one another in order to create successful, new events.
As the world becomes more globalized, Ramah points out the importance of an organization like the Chicago Cultural Alliance whose mission is "effecting social change and public understanding of cultural diversity" and introduces people to the many different cultures of the world that are represented here in Chicago. Through events such as the Alliance Day at the Zoo, Ramah is able to expose people to her exciting culture in a very creative fashion. The AAAN's booth was a favorite at the Zoo--children and adults alike were able to get their names printed or tattooed to themselves in Arabic! The AAAN also provided a Dabke (foot-stepping) performance to celebrate the Zoo's 75th birthday a week before! The AAAN is such an exciting organization and one that has and will continue to improve the lives of Arab immigrants and Arab Americans in Chicago.
A chat with Bryant Kim of the Korean American Resource and Cultural Center
On July 14th I sat down with Bryant Kim, Cultural Programming Director of the Korean American Resource and Cultural Center (KRCC), at their Youth and Culture Office. After my tour of the office, Bryant began to tell me all about what the KRCC does, its mission, and its relationship with the Alliance. Bryant explains that the KRCC's mission is to empower the Korean American community through education, social service, organizing/advocacy, and culture. Bryant believes that every single community member has the ability to contribute and the KRCC offers them the perfect outlet to do so.
The KRCC places a great deal of emphasis on youth development, which Bryant believes is necessary in order to nurture the future leaders of our world. The Center's Youth Empowerment Program strives to help youth develop public speaking, critical thinking and community organizing skills in order to foster sense of community and to promote youth leadership with the focus of cultivating the next generation community advocates. Members of the Center's Youth Council, Fighting Youth Shouting Out for Humanity (FYSH), choose a different issue each year and then plan and organize around it to educate the community and gain support for the cause while After School Matters and Community Development Block Grant provide a safe space for young people and allows any high school students residing in the city to take different classes free of cost all year round. This summer there is even a group of youth interns busy helping out at the KRCC!
In addition to its strong youth development programs, the KRCC offers programs for other members of the community including the New American Initiative, which assists community members in gaining citizenship, and the Workplace Justice Campaign, which provides education for small business owners and employees. English as a Second Language (ESL) classes are also offered to the community.
Being a part of the Chicago Cultural Alliance has ultimately given the KRCC the opportunity to organize with other communities of Chicago as a collective body. Through programming such as Cultural Connections with the Field Museum, the KRCC has been able to come together with Chicago's other communities to create continued dialogue. It is this continued dialogue, according to Bryant, that ultimately leads to social change.
The Korean American Resource and Cultural Center is an exciting place to be--be it to take a poongmal (Korean drumming) class or just have a comfortable space to hang out--the KRCC has so much to offer!
On Saturday, July 11th the Chicago Cultural Alliance teamed up with the Brookfield Zoo for the second time this summer to celebrate Family Day at the Zoo. With the weather much nicer this time (no rain in sight!) core members were able to enjoy a beautiful day at the zoo while simultaneously being able to experience the fun cultural games, activities, and performances taking place at the Carousel Plaza.
The Highland Dancers of the Illinois St. Andrew Society started off the morning with exciting dances that all were able to enjoy. They even gave lessons to those who were interested!. Their beautiful and colorful costumes (along with their mascot--Bennie the Car) attracted people from all over the zoo for the show. Later in the day, the Plaza was packed yet again as the Swahili Institute of Chicago presented a N'goma drumming performance.
In addition to the performances, visitors were able to learn about the Chicago Cultural Alliance and some of its Core Member organizations by visiting booths set up throughout the Plaza. While the Alliance had its flag and language matching games to test visitors' knowledge of Chicago's ethnic communities, passersby were also able to get their names written in Arabic or tattooed at the Arab American Action Network's booth and to play the Brazilian traditional strategic game "Jaguar and Dogs" against a member of the Brazilian Cultural Center of Chicago at their booth.
Overall, it was a great, fun day for all! We hope you can join us next year!
A chat with John Low of the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian
The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian (MMAI) is one of the 25 core members of the Chicago Cultural Alliance. John Low, the Executive Director of the museum, has described what the MMAI does, its core mission, and its relationship to the Alliance.
1. How would you describe the purpose or goals of your organization (in a few sentences)?
The Mitchell Museum's mission is to promote and share a deeper understanding of Native American Indian peoples through the collection, preservation and interpretation of traditional and contemporary art and material culture. The Museum offers an opportunity to discover, experience and connect with Indigenous peoples and their histories, cultures and communities.
2. How does your organization contribute, or in what way is it an asset, to the city of Chicago?
The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian is the only museum in the Chicago-area that focuses exclusively on the history, culture and arts of the Native people of North America. Our general purpose is to promote and share a deeper understanding of Native American peoples through the collection, preservation and interpretation of their traditional and contemporary art and material culture. Here we celebrate Indigenous lives and communities and dispel stereotypes and misinformation. We also promote the public's understanding of cultural diversity through first voice perspectives. The Museum serves as a resource for residents of the greater Chicago area, for Native peoples, and for researchers/scholars and students from other educational and cultural institutions. The Museum is dedicated to working collaboratively and respectfully with each of these constituencies in all of its activities including collections care, exhibitions, guided tours, lectures, demonstrations, workshops, loan programs and docent training.
3. What is the most exciting part of your position at your organization?
I have a great sense of humility and responsibility for the fact that I am the first American Indian to be the Executive Director of the MMAI. I am happy for the opportunity to lead an institution dedicated to the histories, cultures and lives of the Nation's First Peoples. We have three core themes here at the Museum - Discover, Experience & Connect. Our programming, exhibits, tours, activities and space are dedicated to these themes. As Executive Director, I feel like I am the “captain of a ship” – my role is to make our guests' experiences here exciting and meaningful. I love every day here because every day is different and every guest is special.
4. What drew you to your organization?
I am Pokagon Band Potawatomi Indian, grew up in Michigan, practiced law as a tribal attorney, received a second BA in American Indian studies from the University of Minnesota, an MA from the University of Chicago, and am finishing my Ph.D. in American Culture at the University of Michigan. While at the University of Michigan, I also earned a Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies. I previously served on the Advisory Committee for the Mitchell Museum and as a curatorial assistant here prior to pursuing my Ph.D. Being very familiar with the resources and good work of the museum - and feeling a responsibility to see to the best management of a museum representing American Indian peoples - it was an easy choice for me to come here.
5. How has your work at this institution broadened your understanding of issue x (taken from their mission statement, etc.)?
The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian was founded in 1977 through a gift to Kendall College of approximately 3000 Native American objects by John M. and Betty Seabury Mitchell. Since that time the collection has grown through gifts and purchases to include more than 10,000 objects. In 1997 the Museum moved from the Kendall College campus to a free-standing building where it has been able to greatly expand its exhibitions and public programming. In 2007, after Kendall College moved to the Chicago near northside, the Mitchell Museum became an independent, non-profit institution. Since coming to the Museum, I have learned how important and exciting it is to expand our audiences, build our membership and donor base, and increase our visibility and relevancy as a community resource.
6. Why do you think it is important for your organization to be part of the Chicago Cultural Alliance?
The Chicago Cultural Alliance allows us here at the Mitchell Museum to effectively network and collaborate with other cultural and ethnic museums and cultural centers in the area and to collaborate in educational, resource allocation, fundraising and other programming.
7. How has the Alliance expanded your opportunities (i.e. funding, relationship-building, etc.)?
Staff here at the Mitchell Museum regularly participate in training, we share information and ideas about what is working - and not working - regarding many of the important issues facing the museums like ourselves, and we look to the CCA as a clearinghouse of information and a source of information and inspiration for the myriad of projects we promote and participate.
8. How do you understand the Alliance's mission of "effect[ing] social change and public understanding of cultural diversity?" What is the significance of this mission to your organization?
The Mitchell Museum's mission is to promote and share a deeper understanding of Native American Indian peoples through the collection, preservation and interpretation of traditional and contemporary art and material culture. The MMAI works every day to promote respect and understanding. We are a museum, not just about American Indians or the American Indian experience, but about all Americans and the American experience. When guests, young and old, learn something know about someone else, and when guests find new reasons to respect others, they find reasons to also have greater self-respect. The mission of the CCA nicely compliments and supports the mission of our museum.
This Saturday the Swedish American Museum hosted the second dialogue in the ‘Talking About Im/migration’ series. The session was held in the Museum’s first floor gallery, against the colorful backdrop of Swedish-American artist Peter Åström’s ‘Roundtrip: New York – Gotland’ exhibition, where coffee and Swedish cake were served before an interesting and engaging discussion. The participants included both Swedish citizens living in Chicago and Americans whose families migrated from Sweden many generations ago, who shared fascinating stories and discussed what Swedish culture and identity mean to them.
Saturday saw the first dialogue session of the Alliance’s ‘Talking About Im/migration’ project, held by the Chicago Japanese American Historical Society. The event was a great success, with over 30 guests, CJAHS members and project members coming together to discuss experiences of im/migration and ethnic identity amongst Chicago’s Japanese and Japanese-American communities. Japanese tea and sweets were served, before participants moved on to discuss a fascinating range objects they had brought to discuss - from a rice bowl to a daruma doll, books of Japanese art to‘Su Doku for Dummies’ – as well as simply sharing their stories and experiences.
The group included both Japanese citizens living in Chicago and Japanese Americans, both young and old, and the diversity resulted in interesting and thought-provoking discussion, as well as providing the CJAHS with inspiration for future programming and outreach.
Participants’ comments:
“I had an amazing time and a very insightful discussion”
“Very provocative, very interesting”
“I liked talking to people who I had never talked to about topics what we don't talk about”
ECCo works on research and implementation projects with an aim to integrate environment, culture and conservation. This is done through collaboration with community organizations in the City of Chicago or the Chicagoland region and in South America. These two diverse geographies are included because two different departments within the Field Museum, the Center for Cultural Understanding and Change (CCUC) and the Environment and Conservation Programs (ECP), merged in January 2009 to become officially ECCo. ECCo works primarily with the Chicago Cultural Alliance to address cultural aspects of their mission and with Chicago Wilderness to tackle the environmental areas of their mission.
The CCUC, now ECCo, and Field Museum are particularly significant partners for the Alliance, which grew out of a program called Cultural Connections managed by the CCUC. Cultural Connections ran from 1998 - 2009, with an emphasis of connecting heritage to contemporary issues by comparing "Common Concerns, Different Responses" among Chicago's ethnic communities. At the urging of Chicago's ethnic museums, centers, and historical societies, the CCUC hired a consultant in 2005, with the intention of separating the role of Cultural Connections from the Field Museum, and the Alliance was officiallyincorporated as an independent organization in 2006.
ECCo brings a new model of integration and cultural understanding through facilitating collaboration between small and large organizations who normally would not have a relationship. They also try to draw the larger organizations into work on environmental conservation. Many of ECCo's goals are similar to the Chicago Cultural Alliance because they were born of the same ideas. Working with community organizations is a significant part of the work that both ECCo and the Alliance do because these organizations truly understand the needs of their communities, who make up a major part of Chicago's population.
For Rosa personally, the most rewarding part of her work with ECCo and the Field Museum has been to see the growth of the Alliance and to see the Partner Institutions expand their missions to include work on environmental issues. Rosa's background in is cultural anthropology, she received her master's degree from the University of Illinois - Chicago and went straight into working at the Field Museum, first as an intern in 1999, and later as a paid staff member in CCUC in 2000. In 2009, she earned her Ph.D in Cultural Anthropology, with a dissertation that focuses on Chicago's ethnic museums.
The mission of the Chicago Cultural Alliance is "effecting social change and public understanding of cultural diversity", an idea that Rosa sees happening as the Alliance helps Core Members expand their notion of heritage through addressing notions of identity. This in turn allows these organizations address contemporary issues in their community and helps them to fulfill their missions.
A Chat with Kathy O'Neill of the Irish American Heritage Center
On Wednesday June 17th I sat down with Kathy O'Neill at the beautiful Irish American Heritage Center (IAHC) on Knox Avenue. While today Kathy handles marketing and public relations for the Irish American Heritage Center, she originally came to the IAHC as a theatre group volunteer with the hope of learning more about her own Irish heritage.
Kathy begins by explaining that the Irish American Heritage Center strives to be the premiere Irish-American Heritage Center in the United States. It is a place for people of Irish descent as well as those who wish to learn more about the Irish heritage that is dedicated to fostering Irish heritage, culture, and traditions in America. Because the rate of immigration has significantly declined, the IAHC provides education for those who are here through music, dance, and theatre classes. The Irish Step Dancing classes and competitions at the IAHC are especially exciting and so fun to watch! Want to learn even more? The Irish American Heritage Center also provides lectures, poetry readings, service opportunities, children's activities, and art exhibits in order to educate members of the Chicago community about Irish culture. The newest art exhibits- iPhone: Imagine your Perfect App and On the Bright Side: Chicago/Ireland opens July 10th and showcases work by local Chicago artists. In addition to all of these educational opportunities, children and adults alike have the opportunity to take Irish language classes to perfect their Irish Gaelic pronunciation. There is just so much to do!
Kathy explains that the Irish American Heritage Center's involvement in the Chicago Cultural Alliance has helped the organization to build relationships with other communities throughout the Chicago region. Because of the Alliance, the IAHC has the opportunity to learn about other organizations, how they operate, and how they interact with others in Chicago. According to Kathy, these relationships ultimately help the Irish American Heritage Center understand what they need to do in order to improve as an organization. She describes it as an "all in it together" attitude where the different ethnic communities help one another out in order to achieve their goals.
There is no better way to become immersed in Irish culture and to take advantage of the IAHC than by attending Irish Fest this coming weekend (July 10th-12th) which showcases the finest in local and international Irish and American music, dance, and family activities and is held right at the Irish American Heritage Center. Looking for something to do on the weekends? The IAHC houses an on-site pub where friends can grab a bite to eat, enjoy a pint, and listen to live Irish music on Friday and Saturday nights--the opportunities are endless. Before we end our chat Kathy reiterates that you don't have to be Irish to enjoy everything the Irish American Heritage Center has to offer. The IAHC is committed to community and therefore is a destination for everyone to be able to learn about the Irish heritage.
Hi, my name is Daniel Clarke, and I have just arrived from England to begin a five-week internship with the Alliance working on the ‘Talking about Im/migration’ project.
This is only the second time I have visited Chicago, or indeed the United States – having passed through back in July 2005 on a Greyhound bus trip across the country – so I am thrilled to finally have the chance to come back and get to know the city properly. I have certainly already found it a fantastically exciting place to be these first few days and it seems that, with Taste of Chicago, July 4th celebrations and a host of other events, there will definitely be plenty for me to do!
I am originally from Manchester but have been studying at King’s College, Cambridge for the past four years, first for BA in Archaeology and currently for an MPhil in Social Anthropology. My research has focused primarily on civic identity in the aftermath of conflict, looking at the rebuilding of Manchester city centre after an IRA bomb in 1996 for my undergraduate thesis, and currently working on a project investigating public responses to the Madrid train bombing of March 2004. Therefore, not only am I interested to experience a new and exciting city, with its own distinct identity and history, but my current work on Madrid focuses on the different groups which comprise the identity of the city as a whole, particularly in relation to immigration. In addition, having spent time in Mexico through my archaeological fieldwork (excavating at the site of Teotihuacan, near Mexico City), I am particularly looking forward to experiencing the culture of the city's Mexican population.
A chat with Lakshmi Menon from the Indo-American Heritage Museum
Lakshmi Menon, one of the board members at the Indo-American Heritage Museum, recently took time out to answer some questions about the Indo-American Heritage Museum (IAHM) and its relationship with the Chicago Cultural Alliance. Her answers are below:
The Indo-American Heritage Museum was just recently awarded 501(c)3 [a federal non-for-profit] status, and though shares the same space as the Indo-American Center, the Museum is a different organization. Their mission statement is to promote understand of the diversity, history and culture of Indian Americans. The museum serves the Indian American community as well as members of wider society, such as school groups, universities, and professional groups though the museum itself represents people who came from India to the United States and settles in Chicago.
The IAHM serves the community by helping document the experiences of the early immigrants from India. Their cultural outreach and educational programs promote understanding of the community and appreciation of the culture. The IAHM's work with schools and with tour groups helps to raise awarness of other cultures and enhances the image of Chicago as a global city that welcomes diverse tradition. The IAHM also nutures interest in the artistic expression of the immigrant experience by organizing programs featuring the work of Indian American artists.
For Lakshmi personally, the most rewarding part of her work with the Indo-American Heritage Museum has been the opportunity to interact with people from a variety of other cultures, other walks of life and of all ages. Their work is creating a positive impact on their interests and in acceptance of persons of Indian origin in this country.
The relationship between the Indo-American Heritage Museum and the Chicago Cultural Alliance is important because the Alliance allows the smaller museums to share resources and knowledge and widens the reach of these museums. The IAHM shares the ideals of the Alliance to to create public understanding of cultural diversity.
The relationship is growing further with the two representatives from the Indo-American Heritage Museum being training in dialogue facilitation is conjunction with the Chicago Cultural Alliance Talking Im/migration programming.
On Wednesday, July 1st, the Chicago Cultural Alliance joined with Brookfield Zoo to celebrate the Zoo's 75th anniversary. Despite the rain and unseasonably cool temperatures (who would expect to need a jacket in July?), the event was a huge success!
The best thing about this event was that it emphasized some of the amazing things our core members have to offer and brought attention to their organizations. Representatives from our member communities graced the Zoo's stages with dancers, musicians, and storytellers, and the East Mall was lined with booths hosted by some of our core members. These booths featured an array of activities and crafts, including origami, beaded bracelet making, and calligraphy, to name just a few.
At the Alliance booth, our stamped blue bracelets were a hot item, and both kids and adults had fun coloring paper cupcakes. Visitors also got to test their knowledge of Chicago's ethnic communities by matching a picture or language with the core member organization that it represents. A miniature version of the game is below. How well do you know your ethnic communities?
In case you weren't able to make it to the event, you can still enjoy a small taste of the festivities thanks to this video from the Zoo. Keep your eyes open starting at 0:23 to see dancers from the Cambodian American Heritage Museum, the Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago, and the American Indian Center.
A chat with the Chicago Japanese American Historical Society
The Chicago Japanese American Historical Society (CJAHS) is one of 25 Core Members within the Chicago Cultural Alliance. The Executive director Jean Mishima and volunteer staff member Laurel Fujisawa have described some of what the CJAHS does, their mission and their relationship to the Alliance.
Q: How would you describe the purpose or goals of your organization (in a few sentences)? A: The Chicago Japanese American Historical Society is a grassroots organization founded in the early 1990s. Our mission is to preserve, promote, and present the history of Japanese Americans in the Chicago area.
We have been documenting our history and legacy in Chicago, educating the general public about the Japanese American and Japanese experience and culture, and developing teaching materials and museum exhibits which feature aspects of Japanese American history.
Q: How would you define your community? A: Our community, Japanese Americans in Chicago, is composed of three waves of immigration, and their descendants: The first, about 300 people, came to Chicago around the time of the Columbian Exposition in 1899. The second, and largest, group is descended from 30,000 who came to Chicago directly from the internment camps after World War II. Called the "ReSettlers", they created a community built around social service organizations, Buddhist and Christian churches and small businesses. The third, more recent, group are Japanese nationals who came to Chicago in the 1980s and 90s as artists and students and remained. A fourth, non-immigrant, group are Japanese business executives and their families who live in Chicago for a short span of time of generally two years.
Q: How does it contribute, or in what ways is it an asset, to the city of Chicago? A: The CJAHS partners with many other cultural and ethnic organizations in the city. We volunteer at many events and share the Japanese American culture. We annually decorate a tree that represents our organization at City Hall. We have begun collecting stories of Japanese/Japanese Americans that have made a impact in Chicago.
Q: How does your organization serve your community? Please provide some specific examples.
A: CJAHS mission is dedicated to preserving the first-voice perspective of Chicago Japanese American experiences. We have been documenting our history and legacy in Chicago, educating the general public through workshops for educators, classroom presentations at the elementary, high school, college level and community facilities about the Japanese American and Japanese experience and culture, and developing teaching materials and museum exhibits which feature aspects of Japanese American history.
Q: How did you become involved with this organization? A: Shortly after the 1980s’ Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWIRC) hearings in Chicago, Yoji Ozaki lead discussion groups for Japanese American senior citizen residents at Heiwa Terrace. These watershed hearings gave psychological permission to former internees to finally discuss their camp experiences. As was the case in many other Japanese American communities, these discussions provided a much needed opportunity to come to terms with past traumatic events. Later, in the early 1990s, Scott La France from the Chicago Historical Society asked the Japanese American community for its help in developing the exhibit “Chicago Goes to War, 1941-45.” Yoji Ozaki responded and the Japanese American relocation story was included in this major exhibit. Following this experience with the community, La France saw a need for formalizing historical documentation and recommended forming a Chicago Japanese American Historical Society.
Q: What has been the most rewarding part of working with this organization? A: I feel a sense of accomplishment in preserving the Japanese American experience. It is satisfying to share the WW2 experience to history students and other groups that didn't know about the incarceration of Americans of Japanese ancestry. It is a rewarding to contribute to history projects of young students that can't find information in mainstream resources. Mostly, I feel enriched by all the people I've met through this organization.
Q: Why do you think it is important for your organization to be part of the Chicago Cultural Alliance? A: Our organization represents a rich minority community that has made a large contribution to Chicago.
Q: How has the Alliance expanded your opportunities (i.e. funding, relationship-building, etc.)? A: It provided us the opportunity to build relationships with other Alliance members to work together on projects. The CJAHS is involved with photo exhibit hosted by the Field Museum "part asian - 100% hapa" on race and will use this opportunity to partner with other ethnic organizations on assimilation and race. Our connections to the museums and educational institutions gives us the ability to find a larger audience. Networking through the Alliance makes it possible to instantly collaborate and partner with other institutions.
Q: How do you understand the Alliance's mission of "effect[ing] social change and public understanding of cultural diversity?" What is the significance of this mission to your organization? A: After WW2, the Japanese Americans were told to leave the concentration camps in the West and settle in other cities. Chicago was one destination. The Japanese Americans were also ordered to assimilate. Consequently, many of our younger generation are racially mixed. Many of them are interested in finding their roots. We find the Alliance to be contemporary and very attractive to our current generation.
We started by getting an overview of what the AIC does and who they serve. It's mission is to keep the Center going for the Native Community, as an area to practice culture away from reservations. With a silent divide between urban natives and those living on reservations, the Center is also there to educate non-native community. The AIC provides social services not only to the native community within Chicago, but also provides education through teachings the basics of many of the different tribes represented through the AIC. With well over 500 different tribes in the native community, the AIC has a wealth of experiences to instruct to both children and young adults. Cyndee, who has been involved in the AIC her entire life, knows that teens and young adults are less likely to become involved in gangs when they have this cultural connection to their ancestry that the AIC provides. The AIC teaches children to respect the earth, through conserving water and understanding the different trees and plants. They currently have a native medicine garden surrounding the building, where children are taught the traditional medicinal purpose of the plants native to this area.
Cyndee's parents were both involved in the American Indian Center and she has always been a part of the AIC. She finds seeing children having respect for both their elders and the planet the most rewarding part of her work and her children are involved in the AIC. While everyone is not a part of the same tribe, the AIC acts as an extended family for the natives living in Chicago and the suburbs.
The Chicago Cultural Alliance has been an asset to Cyndee and the American Indian Center because of the workshops that are held, and the relationship-building that it has fostered. She is participating in the Talking Im/migration workshops as a facilitator, and the AIC had been involved in the Cultural Connections programs. The Alliance has meant that the different ethnicities are able to share their different cultures, and through that they see more similarities than differences. The Alliance helps the AIC become more visible and has helped people form new contacts all over the city of Chicago.
The workshop ran from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and many topics were covered. A review of articles on immigration and civic engagement started a great discussion amongst the group. A trip into the museum to the thresholds case was an illustration of different object related to different immigrant and cultural experiences. The workshop concluded with the facilitator training and general outreach strategies. The 4 pilot sites will now have to hold two dialogues over the summer with people from their community who do not normally participate with their organization. This is an exciting capacity building program developed through the Chicago Cultural Alliance with the support of The Field Museum.
Letter from the Chairperson of the Swedish American Museum
My second year as chair of the museum's board of directors has been a fascinating story both of evaluation and of planning for the future. Our membership in the Chicago Cultural Alliance (CCA), a collection of more than 20 ethnic museums in the Greater Chicago area, gave us a flying start at the beginning of 2008. We were the first member museum to participate in CCA's smARTscope process, a professionally conducted survey to analyze where we stand and where we want to go.
With those findings as a basis, the whole board met for a retreat in eary September to build the foundation of our new strategic plan. It was that terribly wet weekend, when all of Chicagoland seemed to flood, but we managed to be quite productive! At our retreat, we outlined our Vision and Mission Statements to keep us focused on the right direction in the years to come.
Before and after the retreat, several staff and board members participated in CCA-sponsered workshops to improve our knowledge and understanding of brand indentity, fund raising, budgeting, and other topics designed to help us run a succesful institution. We also formed two new committees- Marketing and Strategic Planning- and recruited competent new members to move us forward.
Thanks to major donations from our 30th Anniversary Campaign, we are now in the process of completing the reonvoation of our facade. We call it "A New Face in Andersonville" in the spirit of the ambitions for the future.
The troubled economic times are hitting us all, but together we can weather the storm. Because of sound fiscal management, the Museum is fortunate to be reasonably well prepared during the economic downturn. Like all non-profits institutions, however, we will need all the help we can get. To assit our members in leaving a lasting legacy for the Museum, we have a Planned Giving campaign in the pipeline that you will hear more about during 2009.
We are proud of our Museum and invite you to share your ideas for the future!
This is adapted from the Swedish American Museum 2008 Annual report
During the summer of 2004 I participated in a program called Hands of Peace, which brought 20 teenagers to the Chicago area from the Middle East in order to foster long term peaceful coexistence among Jewish-Israelis, Arab Israelis, and West Bank Palestinians. As an American participant, I not only was able to gain valuable knowledge of the conflict plaguing those in the Palestine/Israel region, but I also became exposed to cultures different from my own, ultimately allowing me to recognize our common humanity. It was my experience with Hands of Peace that aroused my interest in learning about different cultures and my commitment to promoting public understanding of cultural diversity.
I just finished my junior year at the University of Notre Dame, where I am pursuing a double major in Arabic and Political Science. In order to explore the various cultures I had been learning about throughout my classes at school, I set off to Morocco last summer to continue my Arabic language studies and gain first-hand experience of Arab culture. I had such an amazing experience in Morocco that I decided to go abroad yet again, this time to London, giving me the opportunity to travel extensively throughout Europe and experience the many cultures Europe has to offer. I was able to learn so much during my time abroad and am excited to develop my knowledge and understanding of cultural diversity-in the city I call home- while simultaneously gaining experience with non-profit work through my internship with the Chicago Cultural Alliance.
Hi, I am interning with the Cultural Alliance until September 2009. This summer with the Alliance I am working on the development of a joint services plan for our core members. I am also working with the Field Museum on crafting a civic engagement program for our members.
I graduated in May 2009 from Columbia University in New York City with a B.A. in History. Over the past summers, I have worked with the National Endowment for the Humanities in its Federal-State Partnership office and also with the Illinois Humanities Council. With the IHC, I compiled a resource database that was used in the Council’s 2008-2009 year-long series All Consuming: Conversations on Oil and Water.
In October, I will start at Oxford University, pursuing M.Phil and D. Phil degrees in early modern European history. My main scholarly interests are in seventeenth-century English cultural and intellectual movements, particularly the relationship between literary history and gender relations.
Away from academia--and trying as much as possible not to sound like a Lonely Hearts ad—I scuba dive and play club-level tennis. And, owing to Chicago’s active summer life, my cultural calendar while I’m here will certainly be full!
My name is Ritwik Banerji and I have worked with the Chicago Cultural Alliance through the Indo-American Center, Indo-American Heritage Museum, and as a board member of the Alliance. Given the number of entities I have just named, I would like to say that my relationship with the Alliance has been as gratifying as it is confusing to explain to other people!
For the past two years, I have been working at the Indo-American Center as their youth program coordinator. Unlike the CCA, the Indo-American Center is an organization primarily focused on social services, rather than arts or culture programming. While most of our programs focus on social service needs of our community, a few programs, including ESL, seniors, and youth, always seem to be a space where culture is very much a part of us providing a quality social service. In this capacity, the youth program became more engaged in the work of the CCA. A highlight of this work was the gardening project of last summer where we brought together the cultural heritage of South Asia (and Latin America) through various gardening and horticultural awareness activities.
From my experience of working with youth development in a social service context, there can often be a tension of how to proceed around the question of developing more cultural activities or more services. What do we pursue next – classical dance classes or a full-time legal clinic? While these two are definitely very divergent paths for an organization to pursue, when working with young people there is a line between “service” and “culture” that often blurs. For example, our recent series of hip-hop production workshops for teens seem to function as both a social service and a cultural activity. When teens are with me making beats, they are not getting high or getting into other kinds of trouble. But my goal is more than just “saving” them from illicit activities. I’m particularly interested in how they understand their experiences as young, Pakistani, Muslim men going to high-school in an outlying neighborhood of Chicago. While none of them are great wizards of qawwali or any other South Asian musical art, the music we make is a reflection of a culture that was born there and is growing up here. As I “serve” them, we also provide a place for them to create.
To me, it is just as important to create culture as it is to preserve it. This is why I have always wanted to keep abreast of activities happening with the Chicago Cultural Alliance. I have continually seen a benefit for my program, and most importantly, the many young people that we have been able to work with.
I grew up in Harrison, OH (near Cincinnati, for those of you unacquainted with Ohio's small towns), the oldest of six children (which proved a valuable way to gain important people skills). During high school, my family hosted an Irish student in our home through a program called the Ulster Project, an exchange program which paired Northern Irish teens from Protestant and Catholic families with students in various cities throughout the U.S. The goal of the project was to promote tolerance, friendship, and understanding between two historically troubled religious groups. I spent a month that summer with a group of American and Irish teens, participating in outings, picnics, and talent shows, as well as community service projects and serious discussions about relevant political and social issues. That experience sparked a lasting interest in and desire to learn about other cultures.
My educational background is in music: I received my bachelor's degree in piano performance from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI and then attended Yale to pursue a PhD in music history. After many grueling hours of coursework, student teaching, and completing my dissertation, I decided to pursue a non-academic career that would incorporate my love of the arts and education. Last summer, I moved to Chicago to find work in the vibrant arts and culture community here. Following a freelance research position with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, I began my internship at the Alliance, which has been a phenomenal opportunity to learn the ins and outs of non-profit work. I enjoy the challenge and flexibility involved in tackling many different types of projects, from event planning and grant preparation to writing for the Alliance newsletter and blog. Perhaps my favorite aspect of this internship has been the chance to meet and interact with so many fascinating people and to get to know my new, adopted hometown through the eyes of Chicago's diverse communities.
Having grown up as the child of immigrant parents, I was always interested in global affairs and traveling. It helped that my parents took us all over the world to visit different cultures. I decided to expand upon this idea and spend my entire university career abroad in Scotland at the University of St Andrews. I enjoyed myself studying in another country so much that I will be starting a double masters at Peking University in Beijing and the London School of Economics in International Affairs.
I have enjoyed working at the Chicago Cultural Alliance immensely because I am able to learn about the numerous ethnic communities in Chicago and how they have joined to form museums and the Alliance. It has been especially interesting to see how the economic downturn is affecting the communities in Chicago, when the larger media mainly ignores this subject.
While I did not know that much about social networking when I started this internship, I feel confident enough now to hold a workshop to instruct people on how use these sites more effectively. We continually hear about a generational difference in these communities, and social networking is just one way to try to reach out to the younger generations.
My work on the Talking Im/migration includes attending a very interesting workshop on telling immigrant stories, and a lot of work with Rebeccah and Mario and Rosa at The Field Museum.
I have learned a lot about working in a non-profit, and working with the many different ethnic communities in Chicago. I will be sad to go!
The workshop, run by Jack Doppelt, a professor at the Medill, focused on teaching the participants the core questions and interview techniques required to draw out the stories that everyone has about immigration or migration. With the assistance of some written prompts, the group divided into partners and began to tell each other their stories, or the stories of someone they knew. The results were astounding; when given the task of reporting on other people's story, everyone was able to relate the story of their partner in great detail.
With the knowledge of how to start asking the questions that can facilitate dialogue about an individual's immigration experience, this workshop was timed to occur one week before the Talking about Im/migration facilitator training workshop at The Field Museum. These skills will be expanded during the day-long session on Monday, May 18 2009 and over the next few months.
The Immigrant Connect Chicago program is an online forum, where people can write their own stories or contact a member/student of the university program to assist them with writing their story. The ultimate purpose of this program is to bridge immigrant groups and cross ethnic and generational lines within communities. Their goal can in many ways be assisted by the Alliance, and makes the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University an ideal partner organization. For further information on sharing your own, or someone else's immigration story, you can can contact Professor Doppelt and his students at contact@immigrantconnect.org.
A Chat with Maria Drell from the Brazilian Cultural Center of Chicago
The next interview in our series is with Maria Drell, founding member and volunteer board member of the Brazilian Cultural Center of Chicago (BCCC), one of the Alliance's core members. In December 2001, Maria was one of a group of friends who decided to plan a “Brazilian Night Celebration” at a local gallery. Two hundred people, including Brazilians and members of other Chicago communities, were in attendance at the Dara Tribal Village, where they enjoyed live Brazilian music, artwork, books, and artifacts, and sampled Brazilian cuisine. This event underscored the need for an organization to promote and disseminate Brazilian culture in Chicago, and a few months later, the Brazilian Cultural Center of Chicago became a reality.
As their mission states, the BCCC is a nonprofit educational organization that promotes and disseminates information about the diverse peoples of Brazil. The BCCC also aims to foster understanding and appreciation for Brazilian culture, music, art, and dance. One of the organization's goals is to provide resources to the Brazilian community in Chicago, such as educational programs, social events, and cross-cultural exchanges. For example, in March the BCCC hosted a cocktail reception to celebrate Women's International Month and to honor Brazilian writer Frances de Pontes Peebles, who recently published her first book, The Seamstress: A Novel. And on Saturday, May 16, the BCCC, in collaboration with another Alliance member, the Indo-American Center, will present Transplanted Sports as part of Cultural Connection's Bodies in Motion series. Events such as these serve both Brazilians and friends of Brazil, a community that is spread throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Eventually, as Maria notes, the BCCC plans to obtain a physical space where this community can meet.
For Maria, one of the most rewarding aspects of her involvement with the BCCC has been the opportunity to grow closer to Chicago's Brazilian community. This work is a true labor of love; unfazed by organizational limitations or a busy schedule (she holds a full-time job in addition to her board member duties), Maria embraces opportunities to spread the word about the BCCC. In fact, joining the Alliance has been a significant way for the BCCC to gain exposure, in particular through the Alliance's website. And by facilitating participation in a series of SmARTscope workshops, the Alliance has helped the BCCC to grow its organization and improve its operations. Beyond this, Maria values the Alliance's mission and commitment to cultural diversity, specifically the opportunities it provides for core members like the BCCC to tell their own stories from a first-voice perspective.
A chat with Jay Luthra, Executive Director of the Indo-American Center
On April 17, 2009 I sat down with Jay Luthra, Executive Director of the Indo-American Center (IAC)to discuss his work with the IAC and its relationship with the Chicago Cultural Alliance. As a part of our interview series we get to look at the relationships that the Alliance is building with Chicago's ethnic communities. The Indo-American Center is located in Rogers Park, and its primary goal is to help South Asians integrate into American life and culture, though they don't turn anyone away (they are currently working with citizens from over 20 different nations). The IAC represents one section of society that contributes to the "melting pot" that is Chicago's cultural diversity. The Alliance mission is to "effect social change and public understanding of cultural diversity", and Luthra believes that this is an important to the IAC because we are working to make sure all different ethnicity's are recognized and treated with tolerance and respect.
The Indo-American Center is a community based organization that runs programs that flow from it's core mission principal of integration. They offer a multitude of classes in English, civic testing, and citizenship preparations. The space also serves as a area to help seniors and youth through after-school programs and free social ethnic lunches, health topics and exercise. Luthra explains their senior work in more detail, illustrating the challenges that face many South-Asian immigrants who have followed their families to American but feel lost when they arrive. The IAC aims to assist them by holding classes on how to get CTA Seniors Passes, library cards and other benefits that require going through many agencies. They also offer their space as a social gathering to meet people of similar backgrounds and comforts from home. The recent introduction of job training skills has become all more relevant during this economic hardships. The IAC offers classes that help people to build resumes, to interview for positions, and to talk to potential employers over the phone. However, Luthra notes that the IAC's shortage of space and funding means they have to turn people away from their classes and training.
For Luthra, years of working in the for-profit sector made him yearn for non-profit work. He has been the Executive Director of the Indo-American Center for a year and a half and in that time has been proud to see the center grow. With an increased budget of 30% since he started, and numerous new programs, the IAC has been able to offer more programs to its community. Luthra finds this growth rewarding as the center offers meaningful help and resources to the South-Asian community. While the relationship with the Chicago Cultural Alliance continues to grow, the Alliance has helped the IAC Board and staff members get on track through the smARTscope, a capacity building program that strengthens organizations' management capacity. With space and funding problems being all too real to many of our members, hopefully the Alliance can help lessen the effects of the current financial crisis through shared services and staff. Luthra sees social networking sites as a way to reach a whole new generation for the South-Asian community, and perhaps this is something else where the Alliance can assist.
A Chat with Jamie Bender from Center for International Studies at University of Chicago
Kicking off the CCA blog’s brand new interview series is a discussion with Jamie Bender, the Outreach Coordinator at the Alliance’s partner institution, the Center for International Studies (CIS) at the University of Chicago. As stated on their website, CIS “sponsors and coordinates a wide variety of activities related to research, teaching, curriculum, and public outreach on global and international topics” through a range of lectures, conferences, and events aimed not only at university audiences but also at the broader Chicago community. A key component of CIS’s mission is to work with Chicago-area schools, which involves coordinating classroom visits from distinguished experts on a wide range of international topics, implementing teacher education workshops, and helping to build curricula.
At the helm of these K-12 teacher outreach programs is Jamie Bender, who before joining CIS taught anthropology and biology for eight years. What she loved about teaching is similar to what she loves about her current position at CIS: as a teacher, she could show her students how exciting other cultures can be and inspire them to move, both literally and figuratively, outside of their own communities. Her desire for students to have increased opportunities to learn about world events, as well as her personal motivation to learn more about the world beyond Chicago, drew her to CIS initially. Among the many aspects of her job as Outreach Coordinator that she finds rewarding are the opportunities to bring international topics presented by first-rate academics to the broader public for free and to develop teacher workshops and enrich curricula in order to continue inspiring students as she once did in the classroom.
One of the major benefits of their partnership with the Alliance that Jamie has seen is the chance to bridge the gap between CIS and Chicago’s cultural centers and ethnic museums. Establishing these deeper connections has led to increased awareness of what Chicago’s various cultural groups, by way of the Alliance’s core members, have to offer. In practical terms, this translates to mutually beneficial opportunities for both. CIS aims to create events with Alliance members, work together with them to develop lesson plans, and perhaps even attract more diverse audiences to CIS lectures. They also look forward to working individually with member groups to help them better reflect their world communities in general, and specifically, to better understand the impact of events abroad on their communities here in Chicago.
In addition to the important work of linking together cultural communities, being an Alliance partner also represents a small but significant step toward the achievement of more profound goals. A key component of the Alliance’s mission is “to effect social change and public understanding of cultural diversity,” which echoes Jamie’s own ardent belief that greater mutual understanding of cultures not only strengthens communities, but is the first step toward peace between all cultures. It is crucial, in her view, for engaged citizens to be aware of one another and to remain informed about what is happening elsewhere in the world. When students are encouraged to learn more about other cultures, differences that may have at first seemed frightening or weird become exciting. In Jamie’s words, “Small steps together change the world.”
On April 15, 2009 the Swedish American Museum and the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian came together for aCultural Connections: Bodies in Motion event sponsored by Chicago 2016 and organized through The Field Museum and the Chicago Cultural Alliance. This series of Cultural Connections examines sport, athleticism and games in different cultures, and this program highlighted some of the outdoor activities of the Swedes and by different American Indian tribes. The speakers from the Swedish American Museum discussed bicycling, cross-country skiing and kick sleds, while the Mitchell Museum talked about lacrosse, tobogganing and snow snakes. They discussed the beginnings of these activities and how they have progressed through time.
The Cultural Connections program looks at the questions of what is culture and what is the value of cultural diversity. Human responses to challenges result in a multitude of ideas and this makes up the cultural diversity that makes human interaction so interesting. Cultural Connections is a platform for Chicago's ethnic and cultural centers to examine cultural diversity in its different forms. The April 15 program looked at physical activities and how they are viewed in such different ways. A bicycle can be a mode of transportation or a weekend hobby. Lacrosse can be a way to resolve disputes without violence or simply a sport. By examining these differences, we can see how people treat each event or idea in their own personal way. Some children love running around outside after school, playing video games, organized sports, or individualized physical activity. One man at the program cycles 365 days a year while others, considering winters in Chicago, find it hard to just get into their car! American Indians have given American culture many forms of entertainment from activities that were once purley function. Lacrosse was a peaceful solution for disputes, and toboggans were forms of transportation and methods to carry items, but now they are a extremely popular sport and one of the best snow activities of all time.
The next program is Cultural Connections: Transplanted Sports, hosted by the Indo-American Heritage Museum and the Brazilian Cultural Center of Chicago on May 16, 2009. Here sports that were brought to these countries through colonialism and immigration will be examined. This will be the last Cultural Connections program run by the Field Museum, before the program is handed over to the Chicago Cultural Alliance.
I checked out the Chicago History Museum, one of our partner institutions, this week. There has been some talk in the press about their hand-written copy of the Gettysburg Address that is on display until May 3rd. This is part of the Lincoln Treasures exhibition in celebration of the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth. The copy of the Gettysburg Address initially drew me to the museum (it is one of 5 that exists) but the museum was really worth it. Besides the Lincoln exhibit, though small but very impressive (reading the Gettysburg Address in Lincoln's handwriting is worth the trip on its own), the rest of the museum was surprisingly informative and fun. The big permanent exhibit is called Chicago: Crossroads of America and was a look at Chicago's history from the beginning to modern times. Unfortunately the museum closed before I got to see everything in this exhibit (it closes at 4:30 pm most days except Thursday). The good news is the museum offers free admission on Mondays (it is normally $14 for adults) so I can go back. The ground floor of the museum had an interesting section on immigration, and it showed photographs of all types of immigrants who came to Chicago from across the years. I think it was a really great piece since it illustrated how immigration hasn't changed across the years, just people's perception of immigrants has. It didn't matter if you came in 1870 or 1970, and I liked that message. The Chicago History Museum is one of our partner institutions, and after seeing what they had to offer it is clear that this is a valuable partnership. They have a lot more space and resources than our core members have access to, but they have managed to tie Chicago's history to contemporary issues and that is very important. Public housing and immigration are two issues that we are still struggling with, but it also showcased Chicago sports history, which is something every Chicagoan has strong feelings towards! Addressing these kinds of issues in such an interesting way is something that the CHM can maybe help us with. Overall, this institution is extremely interesting and I recommend a visit.
The Chicago Tribune been reporting on how the recession has led to cuts in larger cultural organizations and museums across Chicago, and we have reported on the effect on the smaller ones. But how far have these cuts in staff, space and loss of endowments actually affected these centers? The Chicago Tribune and Associated Press ran an article on April 6th that highlighted the rising attendance in some of the large museums in America that have actually cut staff and budgets. You can read the article here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-mon-museum-woes-0406apr06,0,6476745.story. The article quotes Michael Conforti, president of the Association of Art Museum Directors, as saying "The public may not see this level of cuts [5-15%] as significantly as the staff do themselves."
Budget cuts and staff reduction really hurt the smaller organizations. Chicago's small to mid-sized ethnic museums and centers were already juggling the challenges of tight funding, an overworked staff and high demand for their programs and services. While Conforti's statement about the effect of staff and budget cuts is certainly true for large museums, the decrease in foundation giving and individual donations will even more dramatically affect the Alliance's core membership. At least 37% of our members that normally function with paid staff have laid off staff members, all of whom are integral to the healthy functioning of these organizations.
A possible positive consequence for our small museums is that families may now view trips to these institutions as a cheap, fun family outing. Many of the small ethnic and cultural museums in Chicago already offer low admission prices and are great alternatives to far more costly outings for families. For example, the Swedish American Museum offers a $10 family rate, the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture charges $5 for adults and $2 for children under 12 and the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian suggests a $5 donation for every adult.
While the Alliance knows that the current economic climate will make our core members struggle as they try to balance budget cuts and staff reductions on an already tight staff, we know that it can present some new opportunities as well. Our core members now have the chance to attract new audiences with their low cost alternatives to some of Chicago's larger cultural organizations and museums.
The Dark and Bright Sides of the Economic Downturn
The dismal state of the economy is news to no one. For our core members, it has only exacerbated problems that, in many cases, already existed before September 2008. Some lack physical spaces for operations or programming, or struggle with engaging a sufficient diversity of participants through the events and services they offer. The sinking economy has meant diminished grants and dwindling private donations, and less capital translates to reductions in staffs that were, in many cases, already minimal. While tightened belts are ubiquitous these days, the ramifications can be much more severe within small organizations that are limited in their capabilities and assets, as many of our core members are. The solutions will require optimism, flexibility, and creativity (and the support of enthusiastic, caring communities, which is valued in any economic climate).
Luckily, our members are up to the task, ready to make lemonades out of financial lemons. This is an opportunity for our organizations to retrench and re-focus on individual missions and objectives. It is an occasion for increased cooperation, for organizations to work together to obtain funding, and to encourage cross contact between members and their communities. Members can be one another’s sounding boards, sharing their difficulties and hopes, and providing advice and encouragement. Not only can effective programs from one organization be made replicable for other members, but groups can also program collaboratively and develop mutual events that would involve multiple institutions and communities. These ideas can help core members and the Alliance as a whole maintain momentum and better weather the current economic storm.
The most crucial support, of course, comes from an interested, encouraging public that wants to see the diverse patchwork of Chicago’s ethnic communities continue to thrive. Our core members always welcome assistance in any form; if the economic situation means that you have more time than money on your hands, you can volunteer, or attend one of our members’ varied events, which can be found here or by visiting a member website.
The new Illinois Holocaust & Education Center in Skokie will get a distinguished speaker for it's opening on April 19. According to ChicagoBreakingNews, Former President Bill Clinton will be speaking at the opening, along with Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. The ceremony starts at noon on Sunday, April 19 outside the building, which is located at 9603 Woods Drive and is free, though a ticket is required. Visit their website http://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org/ for more information. Though this museum is not pat of the Alliance, we wish them success with their opening.
President Obama's stimulus package might have something in it to make local Chicago art and cultural centers happy. $50 million of the Recovery Act was allocated to the National Endowment of the Arts, which can be passed on to centers in Chicago through grants from the Illinois Arts Council. While the economy is hitting everyone hard, local museums have been struggling to make ends meet. As the Tribune reported in February, even the big museums are having to shorten opening times, cut staff and are losing endowment funds. You can read the full article here: http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2009/feb/06/local/chi-museums-economy-06-feb06. Concern over whether family budgets can still accommodate trips to museums and cultural centers have left many worried. While this money it is to be spread across the nation, it is good to see recognition from the government on the hard work that nonprofit art and cultural centers put into local communities. Medhill Reports Chicago discovered,
In Chicago, nonprofit arts and cultural organizations generate $1.09 billion in revenue, support 30,134 jobs, and deliver over $103 million in tax revenue to local and state government, according to the Illinois Arts Alliance. In Illinois, 23,643 creative enterprises employ 132,882 people, according to Americans for the Arts.
This contribution to the local communities should not fall victim to the economic crisis, and we can all help out these centers. Visit http://chicagoculturalalliance.org/events/ for a listing of upcoming events across Chicago. Some are even free!
A new photography exhibit at the Field Museum called Sacred Waters: India's Great Kumbha Mela Pilgrimage opened on March 6 and is running until July 19, 2009. Photographer Jean-Marc Giboux followed Hindu pilgrims as they undertook the largest gathering of humans on earth. The Kumbha Mela Pilgramage happens four times every twelve years and rotates amongst four locations across India- Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik. The exhibit is located in the Marac Gallery on the upper level of the Field Museum and promises to be very interesting. Giboux is originally from Paris but currently resides in Chicago. Follow this link to see more of his work http://www.giboux.com/.
Today is St. Patrick's Day, which is a great way to introduce one of the museums we are associated with, the Irish American Heritage Center.
Celebrate the day with them at 4626 N. Knox Avenue!
In other news, the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art's exhibit on Joseph Welna and Friends will be closing on March 22. Check it out before this exciting retrospective exhibit finishes. Located at 2320 W. Chicago Ave, the museum is open from 12-4 p.m Wednesday-Sunday.
